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Defense Set to Make Case in George Floyd Death

Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON - The defense in the trial of former Minneapolis police
   officer Derek Chauvin starts its case Tuesday after prosecution
   witnesses for 11 days blamed him for the death last year of a Black
   man, George Floyd, by pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for more than
   nine minutes as he lay face down on a city street.

   Chauvin's defense attorney, Eric Nelson, will try to undercut the
   evidence presented by prosecutors that Chauvin, for 19 years a
   policeman before he was fired, violated normal police practices in the
   way he arrested the 46-year-old Floyd, and medical evidence that
   Chauvin asphyxiated the suspect by his actions.

   Nelson has contended that Chauvin followed his police training in
   arresting Floyd, who was suspected of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at
   a convenience store last May, and that Floyd died of a heart attack and
   underlying health conditions related to his drug use, not because of
   the way Chauvin arrested him.

   The arrest of Floyd and his death triggered weeks of demonstrations
   last year against police abuse of minorities in cities across the U.S.
   and in major cities overseas.

   It is not known whether the 45-year-old Chauvin, who is white, will
   take the witness stand in his own defense. But the case is moving
   rapidly, and closing arguments could be held next week. The racially
   diverse 12-member jury could then start its deliberations on Chauvin's
   guilt or innocence.

   Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges. If
   convicted, he could face years in prison. Three other police officers
   who played various roles in Floyd's arrest last May 25 are awaiting
   trial, although charges against them would likely be dropped if Chauvin
   is acquitted.

   Minnesota state prosecutors rested their case after presenting an array
   of evidence against Chauvin, including a video of the policeman
   pressing his knee on Floyd's neck and testimony from police experts on
   the proper use of force in arrests and medical personnel on how Floyd
   died.

   One of the last prosecution witnesses, Seth Stoughton, a professor at
   the University of South Carolina School of Law, testified Monday that
   Chauvin's actions went beyond the bounds of what a reasonable police
   officer would have done in arresting Floyd.

   "No reasonable officer would have believed that that was an
   appropriate, acceptable or reasonable use of force," Stoughton said of
   the way Floyd was held facedown with a knee across his neck.

   He said that the failure to roll Floyd over and render aid "as his
   increasing medical distress became obvious" was not appropriate under
   the circumstances.

   Stoughton said it was unreasonable to think that Floyd might harm
   officers or escape after he had been handcuffed, as he was sprawled out
   on the ground.